


WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

by AstralArcher12



Series: The Ringleader's Daughter [1]
Category: Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-27 01:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21110513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstralArcher12/pseuds/AstralArcher12
Summary: What if there was a special meaning to the question "What do you remember?" What if there was memory that was long forgotten that revealed the hidden truth behind Mr. Tophat's focus on Rachel.





	WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

**Author's Note:**

> What is my brain doing giving me story ideas at 2 in the morning. I need my sleep! I just had to write down the idea before I forgot it.

Rachel stared down in fear and confusion at the words that the pencil wrote down by itself on her drawing. 

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

What did it mean? Rachel slowly back her chair away from her desk like it would help distance herself from whatever evil had taken hold of the writing utensil. The lights flickered in her before stopped and reveal a grinning Mr. Tophat crouched right next to her. She let out a scream at the sight.

And woke up to the sound of Gavin tapping at her window. She felt relief wash over her as she realized it was all just another nightmare. She got up and let him inside, lying when he asked what was wrong. As soon as they stepped out of the room, Rachel forgot all about the dream and the cryptic message that was written to her.

It wasn't until she returned to her room once more after the carnival, that she noticed the drawing again and remembered what had happened. She walked up to the drawing with plans to clean it up and she froze in place when she saw that the message "WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?" was still written on the right of it, just like that of the nightmare. She picked up the paper and sat down upon her room trying to make sense of it. Remember what? The carnival? Rachel too tired to think. She shook her head and crumpled the drawing into a ball before throwing it into her trashcan. Quickly, she got ready for bed and laid down to sleep, hoping for once that she wouldn't have a nightmare as she closed her eyes.

Rachel found herself once standing in the middle of the carnival, all around people were laughing and having fun. Looking around, she trying to figure out what was going on and then she noticed not far from her, stand just outside the entrance of the big tent was Mr. Tophat and Bartholomew. She felt herself jolt in fear and surprise when she heard a child cry out behind her.

"Daddy!" Turning she watched as a little girl with blonde hair run past her headed right for Mr. Tophat. Mr. Tophat turned at the cry and frowned at the sight of the girl. He kneeled to catch the girl as she practically flung herself into his arms and then stood up holding the girl tightly against him. Rachel wandered closer, confused beyond belief as she realized that he was the "Daddy" that the little girl had called out for. The girl had tucked her head into the crook of his neck and began to cry as he looked over to Bartholomew with concern written both their faces. 

"Hey. Hey kiddo, what's wrong?" he asked as he guided the girl away from his neck to take in her tearful expression.

"I wanted to go play and the rides, so I went on the Tunnel of Love since I thought they weren't going to be too scary." the girl sniffled before continuing. "At first, it wasn't too bad, there was some scary stuff, but it was mostly like the Halloween decorations that Mommy and all of the other neighbors put up outside. But, but then, when I was getting near the end that boat stopped! And then suddenly there were water zombies popping out of the water!" The girl burst into tears and buried her face into his neck once more. "They tried to grab me and pull into the water with them! I was so scared, Daddy! I screamed for help, but no one came! I thought they were going to get me!" The girl was then full-on sobbing as Mr. Tophat's looked on with sadness at the sight of his frightened daughter.

"Oh, sweetheart. It's ok! I got you," He said, rubbing her back in comfort. Guiding her away once more a moment later as she tears began to slow. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away her tear-stains. "They weren't real! They weren't really going to hurt you, they're just there to scare people!" He tried to smile at her, hoping to cheer her up. Rachel felt odd seeing him acting so fatherly, instead of his false friendly act to lure in children. 

"But I thought they were! I was so scared!" the little girl replied, tears gathering in her eyes. Mr. Tophat rubbed his thumb against her cheek to soothe away her fears.

"And that's ok because I know that they can be scary! That's what they're meant to do. But you wanna know something?" he whispered to her. At the girl's timid nod, he continued. "No matter how scary it may be, no matter how dangerous it may seem. Nothing truly bad will ever happen to you. You will never be in any true danger. Because as I always say, It's all part of the...." He pointed to the girl as he trailed off.

"Show!" the girl finished with a smile now on her face. Mr. Tophat's smile grew bigger in delight at his daughter's cheer now returning.

"That's right. Daddy would never let anything happen to you anyway," he promised as he gave her a hug. Rachel felt herself smile at the sweet display of affection. 

"Rachel?" the familiar voice of her mother called out from behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder to see her off in the distance looking around through the crowd, obviously trying to find her daughter. Just as she was going to call out to her, Rachel was interrupted.

"Look's like its time to go home, sweetheart," Mr. Tophat said from behind her. Rachel turned in confusion to see that him looking over in the direction of her mother before turning to look at his daughter once more. 

"Can't I stay for a little bit longer?" the little girl pleaded with a frown. "Please?" She laced her fingers together and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but as much as I want to say yes to you, I can't," he replied with a slight frown. "Little girls like you need their sleep." Seeing his daughter's downcast face, he tilted her face up with his pointer finger. "But, you can come back tomorrow and we can play then. ok?"

"Ok!" her face broke out into a smile once more. 

"But, for now, its time to go home and sleep, got it?" He pointed his finger at her with an expecting look, to which the girl nodded quickly. "Well, thank care sweetheart and sweet dreams." He drew the girl into a hug goodbye and watching her run off to answer Rachel's mother's call. Rachel watched with him as she ran up to her mother and hugged her as well. Before the pair walked off, the girl turned to look at him once more. 

"Bye Daddy, see you tomorrow!" she called and waved her free hand with all her might. Mr. Tophat chuckled at the sight and waved back.

"Bye Rachel! take care!" He called back. Rachel's eyes widened in shock as realization dawned on her. The little girl was her, younger version of her at least. That's why her mother called her "Rachel". A new realization sprung to the front of her mind, and it felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped onto her as she realized that if the little girl was her, it meant that Mr. Tophat was her father. She let out a gasp as she tried to process the idea. At the gasp, Mr. Tophat's eyes flicked toward her, the warmth in his eyes faded as he looked directly at her. A dark smile appeared on his face as he took in her fearful expression. He slowly walked up to her and leaned down to stare into her eyes. "I think its time for you to wake up now, sweetheart. Don't you agreed?" he whispered.

Rachel woke up with a start, gasping for breath from the shocking ending of her dream. Looking around, she realized she was once more in her room and it was morning once more. Looking around, she noticed something on her desk that wasn't there before. She slowly got up and approached it with caution. There sitting once more on her desk with her drawing of Mr. Tophat with the haunting question in its corner. It was uncrumpled and obviously no longer in the trashcan. With a frown, she looked down at it and read over the question once more. The memory of her dream sprung into her mind and gave her the answer she needed. With she grabbed a marker and scribbled something before leaving the room to get ready for the day. 

Now alone in the room sat the wrinkled paper with the drawing of Mr. Tophat. On the top margin, crossed out by a pencil without a hand, was the question, AM I CRAZY? Under it sat in the same pencil was the question WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER? Now, in drying black marker and bold letters was one single word. 

EVERYTHING

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
